Tube closure



July 2, 1935.

J. M, SCHOOLEY TUBE CLOSURE Filed Julj 5l, 1933 Patented July 2, 1935 TUBE cLosUns John M. Schooley, Madison, lll., assignor of onehalf to Harry 0. Schooley, Madison, lll.

Application July 31, 1933, Serial No. 682,973

5 Claims.

'This invention relates to closures, and more particularly to closure devices for collapsible tubes,

such as for example, toothpaste tubes and the like.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible tubeclosure device which will seal the discharge opening through the neck l closure device, and in the parts, combinations, andy arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part :of this specification, and wherein like reference symbols refer to like parts whereverthey occur, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a collapsible tube equipped with a `closure device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2' is a side view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section along Fig. 2;

Fig. 41s a vertical section along the line 4-4 in i ;Flg. 1 with the closure device shown in closed posiion; A

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the closure device shown in open position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sealing cup member of the closure device; and

Fig. '1 isa perspective view of a modified form of sealing cup member. In the drawing is shown a collapsible tube I which is provided with a relatively stiff conical end portion 2 having a bell-shaped neck 3. The neck 3 has a cylindrical discharge opening 4 ex-` tending therethrough and opening into the inside of the tube I, and a sealing cup member generally designated as 5 and made of flexible material, such the line 3 3 in as rubber or the like, is disposed in the dischargeopening 4 through the neck of the tube.-

The sealing cup member, shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, ofthe drawing, comprises a hollow cylin- Ldrical or tubular body portion 6 that has an integral closed flat disc-like Iouter end portion 1.

They sealing cup member does not fit tightly in the discharge opening 4, but it is made of such diame' ter, with respect to the diameter of the discharge opening, that it will move axially therein if pres- -sure is applied to either of its ends. The flat end portion of the sealing cup member has a U-'shaped h valve slit 8 therein forming a flap 9 which is adapted to open up and form a valve opening Ill for allowing passage of the contents of the tube when it is desired to remove the contents therefrom.

In order to keep the flap 9 closed and thus keep i the discharge opening 4 of the tube sealed against removal of the contents, a'ilat metallic closure member I I is mounted on the tube neck adjacent to the flat outer end portion of the sealing cup 10 member for sliding movement across the discharge opening. While the closure member may be slidably mounted on the tube neck in any sult- A able manner, I prefer to provide the end of the tube neck with two ears I2 located at opposite l5 sides of the discharge opening 4 through the neck, and the closure member is mounted for sliding movement between said ears and the end of the tube neck. Preferably, the ears I2 may be beveled as at I3 so that the' tube neck may be wiped without any appreciable discomfort to the iingers of the user.

Each end -of the closure member is provided with a ange I4 extending toward the conical end portion of the tube; and these ilanges are arranged to engage opposite sides of the tube neck for stopping the closure member in open and closed positions; and the closure member has -an outlet opening I5 near one end in position to register with the valve slit 8 through the dat end 30 portion of the sealing cup member when the closure member is moved into open position.

In order to keep the closure member ,in closed. position, a groove I6 is provided in the conical end portion of the tube adjacent to the tube neck so that when the closure member is 'moved into closed position, the lower end of the ange I4 opposite the end provided with the outlet opening will snap into such'groove and keep the closure member locked in such position. Obviously, if desired, a similar arrangement could be provided to keep the closure member locked in open position.

In some'instances, wherethe tube is to contain a comparatively thin paste or liquid matter, it may be preferable to use a sealing cup member of the form shown in Fig. '7. This form of sealing cup member is similar in all respects to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, with the exception that a straight lvalve slit 8a is provided in the flat outer end portion of the sealing cup member instead of the U-shaped valve slit.

With a tube closure conforming vto my invention, when the closure member is closed, the discharge opening of the tube is completely sealed, -55

from even though considerable pressure'be applied to the tube. If the closure member 'is closed, and pressure` is accidentally ll'pivlledy to the tube during handling thereof, such pressure will force the contents thereof into the sealing cupjmember and thus press the at .end portion thereofA iiatagainst the.' closure member to completely .close up the valve slit and also force the wall o!v said sealing cup member tightly against the wall of the discharge opening to thoroughly seal the same.

In order to use the tube, all that is necessary to do is to move the closure member into open position, which can be readily accomplished bya mere ilip of the user's thumb, and then to apply pressure to thetube. Buch pressure will force the contents oi' 'the tube through the valve .slit which is free to open up when it is in register with the closure memberwhich is such member is opened.

Obviously, the tube closure construction hereinabove described admits of considerable variathe case when tions without departing from the scope of the invention; accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the precise constructions shown and described.

I claim: 1. The combination of4 a collapsible 'tube having a discharge opening, a iiexible sealing member having a valve slit disposed in said opening, said sealing member being free to move axially therein, and a closure member movablv mounted on u ber mounted therein, said said tube and adapted to move across said opening adjacent to the valve slit in said sealing member..

2. The combination o1 a collapsible tube having a discharge opening, a ilexiblesealing cup memtubular body portion being free tomove axially in said opening and having a closed at outer lend portion provided with a valve slit therein. anda ilat closure member movably mounted .on said tube and adapted to moveacross said discharge member comprising a- 2.006,4 and thevcontents thereofcannot be forced therel sealing cup member. f.

3.- 'I'he combination of a collapsible tube having a discharge opening, a flexible sealing cup member disposed in said opening, said sealing cup member comprising a tubular body portion having aY closed at outer end portion provided with a valve slit thereinand a`ilat closure member mounted onsaid tube for sliding movement across opening. adjacent to the outer end portionv oi' said said discharge opening adjacent to the outer endy oi.' said sealing cup member and having an outlet opening in position to register with the valve slit in the sealing cup member.

4. The combination of a collapsibletube having a discharge opening, a ilexible sealing member having a valve slit disposed in said opening,

and a closure member mounted on said tube i'orsliding movement across said discharge opening adjacent to the outer end of said 'sealing member and having. an outlet opening inposition to register with the valve slit in the sealing member.

, 5. The combination of a collapsible tube provided with a conical end portion having a neck extending therefrom, said neck having a discharge opening extending therethrough and comfor sliding movementbetween said ears and the end of the tube neck and having an outlet opening therethrough, said closure member having anges at its ends extending toward the conical end portion oi' the tube, and said conical end portion having a groove therein foraccommodat ing the end portion of one of saidanges.

JoHN M. sCHooLEY. 

